Taking marketing in-house

I think we’ll see more and more insourcing by clients as they look to cut costs and gain control. I’ve got no problem with this, especially as JJ isn’t a commoditised delivery agency. And if I was in the client’s shoes, I’d certainly look to insource production of basic assets. Conversely, I expect to see more clients turning to strategic agencies, to provide fresh thinking and ideas in an increasingly challenging marketing landscape where cut through is getting harder and harder. When you need fresh strategy to be supported by great creative, and inspiration from other sectors, outsourcing will continue to make sense in 2019 and beyond.

Fergus Cable-Alexander, Client Director

The continued rise of video content

In 2016, Cisco predicted that video would account for 80% of all web traffic by 2019. And by the looks of it, they might not be far off.

The thing about video marketing, especially live video, is that it’s built entirely on trust. If you can see the product, hear what is said about it and witness it being demonstrated, you might be more convinced to buy. In 2019 we will see more and more live video – why? Because we have confidence in it, we know the content hasn’t been altered in anyway. It’s also very compelling, and who doesn’t love a bit of spontaneity and intrigue? And from a technical perspective, many social algorithms prioritise live videos over pre-recorded ones. So, it really is a no brainer if you want to engage with your customers better.

As with all good content marketing, video builds strong customer relationships. It’s also highly shareable, with more platforms now giving brands the chance to tell their own unique story. It will be very interesting to watch what 2019 comes up with. I for one, will be right at the very front!

Claire Hobbs, Copywriter

AI

Due to the looming Brexit, I’m not that comfortable predicting anything! I’ll be happy just to be still in a functioning society. On a slightly more sensible note, I’d predict the rise of AI in the workplace as highlighted by Google’s Google Assistant Demo earlier this year. Whether it’s self-driving cars, virtual PAs or apps that use AI to make your job easier, it’s creeping in.

Mark Thomas, Artworker

Facebook

I think that there will be very clear signs of the beginning of the end of Facebook as a meaningful promotional channel. This will be as a result of two things; content and results.

Facebook is no longer a nice place to visit. The content is at best vacuous and worst offensive. The older audience profile has already begun to disengage, bored to death by the politics, while the ‘look I am on holiday again’ postings are becoming tedious in the extreme. But worse than that (for Facebook) is that it’s becoming extremely unfashionable among the chattering classes who are retreating to ‘select groups’ resulting in more ‘private,’ conversations and interactions. This decline will invariably result in advertisers seriously questioning their budgeting commitments to the channel.

There have already been some mumblings from major advertisers about the dependability of the audience figures purported to be attained by the channel. This in turn has led to an examination of results and overall many advertisers are making it clear that there are better options available to them (GDN for example) which provide more attractive creative platforms and are proven for delivering far better results. These mumblings will turn into loud grumblings during 2019.

Simon Meakin, Planning Director

Much ado about nothing

2019. Marketers will get excited about AI. Bots will get more…botty. Somebody will talk about blockchain and cryptoassets. An Instagram influencer will paint a brand name on their eyelids so that we’re subliminally exposed to it at each blink when they post their video about riding a beautiful horse with a flowing mane across picturesque Mongolian grasslands. We’ll be keeping an eye on it all (pun intended). And meanwhile, whether they’re aware of it or not, people will continue to have largely the same wants and needs. Wanting or needing the biggest, the smallest, the easiest, the cheapest, the best customer service, the life-changing, the peace of mind, the convenient, the prettiest, the fastest, the tastiest, the comfiest, the funniest, the most accurate or something that will simply make them/their kids/wives/husbands/parents/friends happier. Times change, technology changes, people are people. Happy New Year.

Michael Cavanagh, Content and Copy Director

It’s once again been a year of ups and downs for the UK but, if one thing’s for certain, 2019 (just like 2018!) is full of unknowns. See if we’re right in our marketing predictions next year or let us know what you think on Twitter.